IDF Launches its New Robot Advance Guard

Robots leading the charge with Israel's soldiers - the new 'advance guard' robot army will be tested in exercises in a world first.

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Ari Yashar, 21/04/15 22:45

Robot army on the front lines?

Pierre Terdjman/Flash 90

It may sound like the stuff of sci-fi films, but Israel's army is launching a first-ever training exercise based on its new "advance guard" concept, which will see a vanguard of robots leading the charge into battle with IDF soldiers.

The new training was revealed in a report by the Israel Defense website on Tuesday.

Under the new concept, unmanned ground vehicles are to be integrated in IDF ground maneuvers. In particular the robots are to be used in missions aiming to locate and clear explosives as well as other obstacles, thereby minimizing the risk of loss of life.

The first training exercise will have ground forces and robots working on the same mission, and will aim to sort out the inevitable kinks in integrating the human and robot forces as they act on the fly.

According to the site, this type of training will be a first not only for the IDF, but also for world armies in general.

Behind the new robot "advance guard" concept is MAFAT, the Weapon System and Technological Infrastructure Research and Defense Administration at the Ministry of Defense, as well as the IDF Ground Arm, according to the site.

A number of Israeli defense industry companies got on board developing systems to be used in implementing the new strategy, after the Defense Ministry issued an appeal for proposals several years ago.